Screenwriter NICK KAZAN: Tricks of the Trade

With close to 30 years experience in the business, Nick Kazan knows a few things about screenwriting. He has mastered research skills to write scripts based on true events like Frances, At Close Range, Patty Hearst and Reversal of Fortune, which earned him an Oscar nomination. He has the knowledge of handling life after the nomination and how to manage studio notes and incorporate changes without weakening the script. He has the expertise of directing his own script, Dream Lover and writing with a partner, including a collaboration with his wife Robin Swicord on the adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic, Matilda. And on top of all that, this seasoned professional offers insight as to why he doesn’t do lunches, what it takes to develop screenwriting muscles and why life is always a comedy. This is an excerpt from the full interview, available on DVD at TheDialogueSeries.com .